Meet Catalina Currea | Muralist & fine artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Catalina Currea and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Catalina, do you disagree with some advice that is more or less universally accepted?
For most of my life, I was told that art wasn’t a “real career,” that I needed something secure before even thinking about becoming an artist. But the moment I decided to return to my art in 2021, I knew I had to do it with my whole heart. If I kept a plan B, I would always fall back on it — especially as an immigrant navigating a new country, new systems, and a new language.
Choosing to have no plan B forced me to commit fully. It pushed me to grow, to take risks, to trust my voice, and to work with a level of persistence and resilience that I didn’t even know I had.
That decision changed my life. It helped me build a career doing what I love, paint murals I once thought were impossible, and create a life aligned with my purpose.
For me, plan A worked because it was the only plan.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I studied art in Bogotá, Colombia, at Escuela de Artes y Letras, where I spent two years learning the fundamentals of visual expression. But when I migrated to the U.S. at 19, I had to put that part of me aside to survive. For years, I worked in sales and other fields, but I always felt the pull—the quiet, constant calling to paint again.

In 2021, I decided to answer that call. I returned to art with no plan B, trusting fully in my creative voice. I started building a career as a visual artist and muralist, specializing in work that explores nature, migration, memory, and transformation. My paintings often blend realism with fluid, contemporary backgrounds and include symbolic elements like butterflies, jaguars, trees, and whales—totems that carry emotional and spiritual meaning, rooted in my identity as an immigrant.

I’m proud to have painted murals for brands like Gas 76, Norma’s Café, and Sweetgreen, and as big as 2,600 sq ft, also to have exhibited my fine art in shows and galleries across Dallas. I never imagined I’d one day operate boom lifts and paint huge walls, but art has consistently challenged me to rise higher than I believed I could.

One of the biggest turning points in my journey came when I faced a serious health crisis. I was hospitalized and placed in intensive care far from my family in Colombia. It was one of the most vulnerable moments of my life. Recovery has been slow, painful, and humbling. But that experience gave me a deeper sense of purpose, and it transformed how I approach my work. I now paint with more presence, more intention, and more gratitude.

Today, I create not just from inspiration, but from healing. My resilience, persistence, and faith in God have carried me through dark seasons and helped me build a career that is deeply personal and spiritually grounded. Through murals, exhibitions, and community art, I hope to offer the same peace and transformation to others that art has given me

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If my best friend visited Dallas, I’d take them to Lake Roberts to enjoy nature, walk by the water, and relax. After that, we’d spend time in Bishop Arts District, walking around the shops, trying good food, and enjoying the creative vibe of the area. Those two places show the peaceful and artistic sides of the city that I love.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to dedicate my story to my parents. Everything I am —as a woman, an immigrant, and an artist— is rooted in the values, love, and strength they gave me.

Leaving Colombia at 19 was one of the hardest decisions of my life, and even from thousands of miles away, they remained my foundation. Their sacrifices, their faith in me, and their constant support have carried me through every challenge in this journey.

So much of my art is inspired by the memories, landscapes, and stories I share with them. They were the first to believe in my creativity, long before I ever imagined building a career in the United States.

Website: https://www.artbycatalinacurrea.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artbycatalinacurrea?igsh=Zjk2azJ3dXgyeWhl&utm_source=qr

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/17hZ6jzN4z/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Image Credits
Credits for my profile picture to @D9photos